9 Effective CTA Tips for Boosting Online Bookings

In the competitive hospitality industry landscape, resorts and tour operators are constantly seeking ways to increase online bookings and attract more guests. One essential element of any successful digital marketing strategy is the Call to Action (CTA). A well-crafted CTA can drive conversions and encourage visitors to take the desired action, whether it’s booking a room, signing up for a newsletter, or exploring special offers. Here are nine effective CTA tips for resorts and excursions operators looking to enhance their online presence and boost bookings:

#1 Include a CTA in Every Piece of Content You Create

One of the most important CTA tips to remember is that a clear call to action should be included in each piece of content you create, whether it be each page of your website content, a landing page, your email newsletter or even a traditional print ad. Your CTAs tell your audience the action you wish them to take next — similar to the instructions given when someone calls your voicemail. Content without a CTA is like a dead-end because it fails to route visitors towards a conversion. In contrast, content with a compelling call to action serves as a step in your customers’ buying journeys. The appropriate call to action to use will depend on the purpose of your content and can include CTAs that ask your visitor to:

• Read More
• Learn More
• Explore Options
• View Availability
• Reserve Now
• Book Now
• Claim Offer
• Take a Virtual Tour
• Connect with Us
• Call Now
• Follow Us
• Download 

And more! To get you started, these five travel brand CTA examples from Intellimize offer some great examples of different CTA types. 

#2 Determine How Many Calls to Action Each Piece of Content Needs

Most CTA advice will tell you to use a single call to action per piece of content, which often applies — especially for ads and landing pages. But there are instances when more than one call to action is warranted. To determine how many CTAs your content needs, consider where your content is in the buyer’s journey and whether your visitor will likely need more information before converting. This article from Hubspot outlines how to properly use secondary calls to action in your content.

#3 Use Compelling and Actionable Language

Your CTA should be clear, concise and persuasive! Use action verbs that prompt visitors to take immediate action, such as “Book Now,” “Reserve Your Stay,” or “Plan Your Getaway.” According to a study by Unbounce, using first-person pronouns like “my” or “me” in CTAs can increase conversion rates by up to 90%.

#4 Create a Sense of Urgency

Incorporate words and phrases that convey urgency and scarcity to encourage visitors to act quickly. Phrases like “Limited Availability,” “Last Chance,” or “Exclusive Offer – Ends Soon” can create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) and compel users to make a reservation before it’s too late. This article by Search Engine Journal details how to “trigger urgency in your marketing copy.”

#5 Highlight Benefits and Value Proposition

Precede your call to action with content that clearly communicates the benefits of booking a stay at your resort or signing up for your excursion. Whether it’s luxury amenities, breathtaking views, or personalized service, emphasize what sets your resort or offering apart from the competition. Focus on the value visitors will receive by choosing your property or excursion, such as relaxation, adventure, or unforgettable experiences. These 15 call-to-action examples by Unbounce will give you some great ideas on creating effective CTA buttons based on different types of landing page content.

#6 Optimize Placement and Visibility

Another one of the most essential CTA tips involves call to action text and button placement. Place your CTAs strategically throughout your content to maximize visibility and engagement. Position CTAs prominently (above the fold) on high-traffic pages, such as the homepage, room booking pages, and special offers section. Use contrasting colours, bold fonts, or eye-catching graphics to make your CTAs stand out and capture visitors’ attention. Remember, each page should have one main call to action and, in some cases, one secondary call to action, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use your CTAs in more than one area of your content. Refer to this article from Zoho on best practices for CTA placement to help you determine the best placement for your calls to action.

#7 Offer Incentives and Discounts

Encourage visitors to book directly through your website by offering exclusive incentives or discounts. Incorporate special offers or promo codes into your CTAs to entice visitors and sweeten the deal. Check out this article from Hotel Spider on how to offer hotel discounts and offers the right way.

#8 Optimize for Mobile Devices

With the increasing prevalence of mobile browsing, it’s essential to optimize your CTAs for smartphones and tablets. Ensure that your CTAs are mobile-friendly and easy to tap on small screens. Use responsive design techniques to seamlessly adapt CTAs to different screen sizes and orientations. Refer to these “12 best practices for super effective mobile call-to-action buttons” by WPMU DEV. 

#9 Test and Iterate

Continuously test different variations of your CTAs to identify what resonates best with your audience. A/B testing allows you to experiment with different wording, designs, colours, and placements to determine which calls to action drive the highest conversion rates. You can use analytics tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar to track CTA performance and make data-driven decisions. Review these 15 call-to-action statistics from HubSpot for examples of performance for different types of CTAs.

In conclusion, effective CTAs play a crucial role in driving online bookings for resorts. By applying these CTA tips: using compelling language, creating a sense of urgency, highlighting benefits, optimizing placement, offering incentives, optimizing for mobile, and testing continuously, resorts and excursions operators can maximize their conversion rates and attract more guests to book directly through their website. 

We’re Here if You Have Questions!

Do you have questions about applying the above CTA tips to boost bookings and where to focus your marketing resources? Or do you have questions about email marketing, Google Advertising and optimizing what you’re already doing? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us online today or click here to schedule a call with us.